Chapter 5 #2
Ayla set a wooden bowl in front of him, steam rising gently from the contents. Inside was a mix of cooked plants; greens, something like herbs, and along with slices that he guessed were meat.
Andrew stepped closer. “That smells really good,” he admitted.
“It is simple,” Ayla said. “But it will help you regain your strength. And definitely still your hunger.”
Andrew didn’t need more convincing. He sat down and picked up the utensils she had set beside it of simple, carved wood.
He took a bite and nodded as he chewed. “That’s—yeah, that’s really good.”
The meat was tender and richly flavored, and it paired with the herbs in a way that felt balanced rather than overwhelming. It wasn’t anything fancy, but it didn’t need to be. “What is it?” he asked.
“Deer,” Ayla replied.
He took another bite, then glanced up at her. “You hunt it from up here?” he asked. “I figured it’d be more… birds, I guess.”
Ayla’s expression shifted into something close to shock. “Birds?” she repeated.
Andrew shrugged. “Yeah, I mean—”
“Of course not. They are sacred,” she said quickly, almost cutting him off. “They live with us. Above and among the trees. We do not harm them.”
Andrew held up a hand slightly. “Okay, alright,” he said. “I’m sorry. Didn’t know that.”
Ayla exhaled softly, the tension easing just as quickly as it had appeared. “That’s alright,” she said. “We go down to hunt,” she explained. “When it is needed.”
Andrew nodded, taking that in. “Makes sense.” He took another bite, letting the warmth of the food settle in.
His gaze drifted briefly back toward the window, toward the glowing city beyond. Then back to Ayla. He felt strangely comfortable, but then the thought returned.
The testing.
Andrew exhaled quietly, setting his bowl down for a second. “So,” he said, glancing up at her, “about that ‘test’…” The feeling of Trina’s grip around his cock flashed through his mind. “What is the meaning of all this? The seed bringer?”
Ayla smiled and leaned forward. “Well, you are a male, of course,” she said.
Andrew nodded. “Well, yes.”
She shrugged. “We are only women here.”
Andrew nodded. “I’ve noticed that too.”
She nodded, but kept quiet, not saying anything more.
Andrew felt the frustration boil up again. “So? You need me? Is that what you are saying? Is that why I can’t leave?”
Ayla straightened herself. “We need your seed,” she said calmly.
Andrew's lips had turned dry, and he quickly took a drink from the wooden cup she had placed on the table with his food. It was water. “So,” he said. “You need my semen?”
Ayla frowned. “Semen?” she asked.
Andrew tilted his head. “Yeah—okay, I mean, my seed, you need my seed?”
She smiled and nodded again. “That’s what I just said, yes.”
“For what?” he asked.
“To follow the way of the gods.”
Andrew couldn’t help but chuckle. “Okay, the way of the gods.”
Does everyone talk in riddles here?
Andrew leaned forward over his plate. “And what is that, exactly?”
Ayla didn’t move, her face still with that same matter-of-fact expression, as if he were the one saying weird things. “The scared union.”
Andrew swallowed. “Sacred union?” he asked. He thought for a moment. “You mean… sex?”
Ayla shrugged. “That’s not for me to decide,” she said and got up. “That’s up to the Queen, and the higher sisters. They know what the gods want.”
Andrew realized then and there that he wasn’t going to get any more information out of her. He guessed he had to wait and see… which made him all the more anxious.
He sighed.
I’m tired anyway…
He looked around the wooden room again. The way the dimmed light of the candles and crystals hit the walls created a lovely, cozy atmosphere.
He smiled. He had a roof over his head, a friendly and gorgeous host who at least wasn’t hostile.
Answers would come later. Right now, he might as well enjoy this weird experience for what it was—for now.
While he finished his meal, he was suddenly struck with a thought:
The gold.
He looked up at the girl. She had taken a seat on a wooden step, a few feet away. She was looking at him, her eyes curious, her mind seemingly deep in thought.
Should I ask her about the gold instead?
It was tempting, but he decided to let it pass for now. Right now, he had bigger questions to deal with.
Andrew finished the last few bites of his meal and leaned back. “Yeah,” he said. “I needed that.” He nodded. “Thank you.”
Ayla smiled faintly and moved toward the table again. She picked up a small cup and poured him something from a carved container. The liquid was a soft amber color, catching the candlelight as she handed it to him. “For rest,” she said.
Andrew took it, giving it a cautious sniff before taking a sip.
It was surprisingly good. Sweet, but not overpowering. Smooth, with a faint herbal aftertaste that lingered pleasantly.
He took another sip. “That’s nice.”
Ayla watched him with quiet satisfaction, then nodded toward the bed. “You should sleep,” she said. “Your body still needs to recover.”
Andrew followed her gaze, then looked back at her. “Yeah,” he admitted, feeling sleep pull at him. “That might not be a bad idea.”
The exhaustion had been creeping up on him for a while now. The food, the warmth, the relative calm—it all made him drowsy.
He stood and walked toward the bed, sitting down on the edge of it.
Before he could settle in, Ayla stepped closer. And reached for his waistband.
Andrew flinched and took a step backward. “Whoa—hey,” he said, instinctively catching her wrist. “What are you doing?”
She looked at him, confused. “You need sleep,” she said simply, as if that explained everything.
“Yeah,” Andrew replied, “I got that. I just don’t usually—” He stopped as she gently pulled her hand free and tried again, this time more deliberately.
“It is more comfortable,” she said. “You will rest better.”
Andrew hesitated. There was no teasing in her tone. To her, this was clearly normal.
He exhaled slowly, running a hand over his face. “Alright,” he muttered. “At this point, why not.” He let his hands fall away.
Ayla moved without hesitation, slipping his boxers down and off in one smooth motion.
For a brief second, she paused as she stared at his cock.
Nothing dramatic, but there was a small, natural hesitation as her eyes went downward, taking him in more clearly this time.
Andrew felt the familiar spike of self-awareness hit him again, trying not to get hard.
Ayla blinked once, then seemed to recover quickly, her expression settling back into that same calm curiosity.
She stayed silent, and gently guided him back onto the bed, adjusting the blankets over him.
Tucking him in.
Andrew lay there for a moment, slightly stunned. He released a nervous chuckle.
Ayla stepped back, looking satisfied. Then she brought her hands together in a soft clap.
The candles flickered—and went out. The crystals dimmed at the same time, their glow fading into a soft, low light that left the room bathed in a gentle, ambient darkness.
Andrew looked around the room. “How did you—”
Ayla started removing her clothes.
Andrew turned his head instinctively, looking away out of reflex, his mind scrambling to keep up.
But the sound of fabric shifting, the quiet movement of her stepping closer… It pulled his attention back.
Against his better judgment, his eyes flicked toward her. And stayed.
She stood there without any sign of discomfort, completely at ease. The soft glow from the crystals traced along her beautiful form, highlighting the natural lines of her body.
Andrew swallowed.
She was a stunning vision. Her breasts full, he hips wide, and her trimmed triangle of pubic hair send a jolt of lust through his body.
A second later, he felt the bed shift as Ayla climbed in beside him.
Close. Not touching, but close enough that he could feel the warmth of her skin.
Andrew went still, his heart banging in his chest.
“You… always sleep like this?” he asked after a few moments, his voice a little tighter than he intended.
Ayla turned her head slightly toward him. “Of course,” she said. “When the weather is pleasant, we all do. In the colder seasons, we wear more.”
Andrew stared up at the ceiling. “I see,” he said quietly.
That was apparently just another thing he was going to have to accept. Not that he minded… but he wondered if he could get to sleep like this.
He lay there for a moment, aware of everything around him—the unfamiliar bed, the soft light, the faint sounds of the city outside, and the presence of the beautiful naked woman beside him.
It should have been overwhelming, but the exhaustion finally won.
His body relaxed gradually, the tension slipping away as his breathing slowed.
The last thing he registered was the distant rhythm of drums echoing through the trees.
Then sleep took him.